KATHMANDU: Stay informed with Nepal News’ daily evening briefing, covering the most significant developments from Nepal and around the world. From politics and economy to sports, entertainment, and culture, we bring you a concise summary of the day’s top stories.

PM Oli Updates House on Spain Visit and Nepal’s Role at UN Conference: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Monday addressed the House of Representatives, detailing Nepal’s participation in the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development held in Seville, Spain. He emphasized the event’s significance in boosting global partnerships in economic diplomacy and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). PM Oli said Nepal used the international platform to promote just and inclusive economic development for Least Developed Countries (LDCs), reiterating its commitment to graduate from LDC status by 2026. He highlighted Nepal’s position as a responsible member of the global community, calling for enhanced development and climate financing.

RSP and RPP Boycott House, Demand Home Minister’s Resignation Over Visit Visa Scandal: Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) continued their protest in the House of Representatives on Monday, boycotting the session and demanding the resignation of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak over the ongoing visit visa scandal. The two parties have been demanding an independent investigation committee since Jestha 13 (May 27), criticizing the government’s handling of the issue. RSP lawmakers stood in front of the rostrum during today’s meeting before walking out, while RPP chose to boycott the session altogether. Both parties have rejected the government-formed investigation panel, calling it inadequate and lacking credibility.

JSP Leader Ashok Yadav Sparks Controversy, Says Madhes Will Separate from Nepal: Ashok Yadav, a leader of the Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) led by Ashok Rai, has stirred controversy by stating that Madhes will eventually separate from Nepal. In a video message released after a warrant was issued for his arrest, the former Member of Parliament—who is currently absconding—said, “Madhes will separate from Nepal one day, whether I am alive or not.” Beginning his video with the slogans “Jai Bihar, Jai Nepal, Jai Bharat,” Yadav also appealed to Indian police officials to help him avoid arrest. He accused the Nepali ruling class of harboring a racist mindset, saying that Madhesis are treated as second-class citizens. He said he has long believed that Madhes must eventually separate from Nepal.

Three Judges Appointed to Supreme Court: President Ramchandra Paudel on Monday appointed three new justices to the Supreme Court based on the recommendation of the Judicial Council. The appointees include Senior Advocate Meghraj Pokharel, Chief Judge of the High Court Janakpur Shreekanta Paudel, and Chief Judge of the High Court Dipayal Shanti Singh Thapa. According to the President’s Office spokesperson Shailaja Regmi Bhattarai, the appointments were made pursuant to Article 129(2) of the Constitution.

NUP Patron Resham Chaudhary Meets PM Oli Amid Withdrawal of Support: Resham Chaudhary, patron of the Nagarik Unmukti Party (NUP), held a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Monday at Baluwatar. The conversation lasted for about an hour, according to the Prime Minister’s Secretariat. The meeting comes shortly after NUP decided to withdraw its support from both the federal government led by Oli and the provincial governments in Lumbini and Sudurpaschim. The purpose of the meeting has not been made public, but it is seen as politically significant amid changing alliance dynamics.

Doctors Halt Services Nationwide Over Consumer Court Verdicts, Demand Legal Reform: Medical services across Nepal, except for emergency care, remained shut today following a nationwide protest called by the Nepal Medical Association (NMA). The protest was launched in response to recent verdicts by consumer courts, which doctors say have encroached upon the jurisdiction of the Nepal Medical Council (NMC), the statutory regulatory body overseeing medical ethics and professional conduct. The shutdown comes after weeks of rising tensions between the medical community and the judiciary. In recent rulings, the consumer court ordered substantial compensation to the respective families of patients in medical negligence cases.

7-Member Parliamentary Committee Formed to Investigate Cooling-Off Period Controversy: A seven-member special parliamentary committee has been formed to investigate irregularities related to the cooling-off period provisions in the ‘Federal Civil Service Bill 2082’. According to parliamentary rules (Rule 180 of the Parliamentary Procedure 2075), the committee will include two members each from Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, and one member each from CPN (Maoist Centre), Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP). The members named are Jeevan Pariyar and Sushila Thing from Nepali Congress; Ishwari Gharti and Narayan Acharya from CPN-UML; Madhav Sapkota from CPN (Maoist Centre); Ganesh Parajuli from Rastriya Swatantra Party; and Roshan Karki from Rastriya Prajatantra Party.

Former King Shah Celebrates 79th Birthday at Nirmal Niwas, Appeals for National Unity: Former King Gyanendra Shah has said that this is a time to pray for Nepal and Nepalis, urging citizens to remain cautious during the ongoing monsoon season. Speaking to the press on Monday at Nirmal Niwas, where he marked his 79th birthday, the former monarch expressed concern over flood, landslide, and disease risks that intensify during the rains. “This is a time for prayer—for Nepal and for all Nepalis,” Shah said. “Being born in Nepal alone does not make us Nepali. Nepal must live within us—only then are we truly Nepali.” He also appealed to people to be alert and safe from natural disasters and waterborne illnesses.

Complaint Filed Against Two Judges Who Acquitted Suspended Judge Bhuvan Giri in Rape Case: A formal complaint has been filed at the Judicial Council against two judges who acquitted suspended judge Bhuvan Giri in a high-profile marital rape case. The complaint seeks an investigation and action against Lal Bahadur Kunwar and Dilli Ratna Shrestha, judges at the Patan High Court. Bhuvan Giri’s former wife, Aarti Rawal, had filed a case against him accusing him of both marital rape and rape. The two were married in 2075 BS, with Rawal being Giri’s second wife. However, their relationship soured shortly afterward. In Mangsir 2079 BS, Rawal filed a formal complaint at the Kapilvastu District Police Office, alleging marital rape by Giri. Despite the serious nature of the accusations, Giri was acquitted by the Patan High Court bench.

Former PM Khanal Departs for China to Attend ‘World Civilization Dialogue’: Former Prime Minister and CPN (Unified Socialist) leader Jhala Nath Khanal has departed for China. Khanal left for China on Monday to participate in the “World Civilization Dialogue” being held in Beijing at the invitation of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Before attending the main event in Beijing, Khanal will spend three days visiting Henan Province, according to his personal secretary Krishna Bhattarai. During his visit to Henan, former Prime Minister Khanal will observe various institutions and projects, including a modern agricultural research center, a digital technology company, a new energy technology factory, and model rural revitalization projects.

MP Kiran Kumar Sah Demands Impeachment of Judges Who Acquitted NC Leader Alam: CPN-UML lawmaker Kiran Kumar Sah has demanded impeachment proceedings against the judges who acquitted Nepali Congress leader Mohammad Aftab Alam in a high-profile murder case. Speaking during Monday’s session of the House of Representatives, MP Sah called for immediate action against Justices Khusi Prasad Tharu and Arjun Maharjan of the Janakpur High Court’s Birgunj bench, who overturned the district court’s earlier life imprisonment verdict against Alam. “The Birgunj bench of the High Court has acquitted Alam, who was convicted of burning people alive in a brick kiln in Rautahat — a heinous crime,” Sah said.

Government Moves to Increase Compensation for Domestic Air Crash Victims: The government is preparing to increase the compensation amount for families of passengers who die in domestic plane crashes. This move comes as the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has released the draft of the “Bill on Liability and Insurance Related to Domestic Air Services, 2082.” The draft bill proposes revisions to existing provisions, including enhanced compensation for victims’ families. Although efforts to raise the compensation amount have been ongoing for years, they have yet to yield results. The Council of Ministers had already granted theoretical approval.

NEPSE Falls After Six-Day Winning Streak, Turnover Also Declines: After rising continuously for six straight trading days, the Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index declined on Monday. The benchmark NEPSE index dropped by 22.35 points compared to the previous day, closing at 2,684 points. Along with the index, the overall market turnover also shrank significantly. While the total transaction amount stood at Rs 9.50 billion on the previous trading day, it fell to Rs 8.37 billion today. Out of the total listed companies, only 39 saw their stock prices increase, while 209 companies recorded losses. The majority of sectoral indices ended the day in the red. The Finance sector experienced the sharpest fall, dropping by 3.76 percent.

SEBON Opens Door for Perpetual Non-Cumulative Preference Shares: The Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON) has cleared the way for banks and financial institutions to issue perpetual non-cumulative preference shares. Through the ninth amendment to its Securities Issue and Allotment Guidelines, SEBON has allowed such shares to be issued, which can only be traded among promoter shareholders. The face value of these shares has been fixed at Rs 100. With this amendment, banks and financial institutions that have received approval from Nepal Rastra Bank can now apply to SEBON for issuance. As per the guidelines, the shares must be issued via private placement to fewer than 50 institutional investors only.

Mutual Funds Increase Investment in Share Market, Reach NPR 4.837 billion by Mid-June: Mutual funds have significantly increased their investments in the share market. By the end of Jestha (mid-June), the total investment through both open-end and closed-end schemes reached NPR 4.837 billion. This represents a growth of NPR 246 million in just two months compared to the total investment of NPR 4.591 billion made by funds until the end of Chaitra (mid-April). Seventy-two percent of the total assets of mutual funds are invested in the share market. By the end of Jestha, the total size of mutual fund assets reached NPR 6.372 billion.

Govt Circulates Directive to Banks for Releasing Guarantees of Import-Export Companies: The government has issued a circular to commercial banks to release guarantees of companies involved in international trade (import-export). Previously, except during the renewal of the import-export code (EXIM Code), companies involved in imports had to keep a deposit guarantee of NPR 300,000. The EXIM Code is a type of license required for international trade from Nepal.

Demat Account Renewal Required by July 16: The Depository Participants (DPs) have issued a public notice urging members to renew their Demat accounts by July 16. According to regulations, Demat accounts must be renewed every year by this deadline. If not renewed by July 16, the Demat account will be frozen, preventing shareholders from selling existing shares or purchasing new ones. The annual renewal fee for Demat accounts is NPR 100. Additionally, users of the “Mero Share” platform must pay a separate renewal fee of NPR 50. Account holders can renew both their Demat accounts and Mero Share access simultaneously to ensure uninterrupted trading activities.

Multilingual Film ‘Kalli’ to Premiere Simultaneously in Nepal, India, and Pakistan: The upcoming film Kalli is scheduled for theatrical release on Falgun 1 (mid-February 2025). Featuring a stellar cast including Saugat Malla, Uttam Pradhan, Benisha Hamal, Nazir Hussain, Arpan Thapa, Barsha Raut, and Sulakshan Bharati, the film is being produced in both Nepali and Hindi languages. According to producer Kiran Nepali, Kalli will be released simultaneously in Nepal, India, and Pakistan. The film will be screened in Nepali within Nepal, while the Hindi version will be released in India and Pakistan. Distribution rights have been confirmed: M.K. Film Distributor will handle release in India, Hippo Films in Pakistan, and Kafiya and Kuber Films will distribute the film in Nepal.

Niti Shah Joins Inter-Caste Love Story Film ‘Jadau’ as Lead Actress: Model and actress Niti Shah has been cast in the upcoming inter-caste love story film Jadau as the lead actress. She will play the female lead opposite actor Mukun Bhusal, who had already been confirmed for the project earlier. The production team and Shah have already finalized a formal agreement for her role in the film. Written by Kaji Limbu, Jadau is a joint production of Silver Screen Entertainment and Sammishran Movies & Entertainment. The film will be co-produced by Ramraja Subedi, Om Chemjong, Shanta Tamang, and Narayan Shastri. Filming is scheduled to begin in the first week of Bhadra.

Renowned Indian Cinematographers Kabir Lal and Shahid Lal to Shoot Nepali Film ‘Sukha-Dukha’: Acclaimed cinematographers Kabir Lal and Shahid Lal, known for working on over 80 films in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Hindi, are set to shoot their first Nepali film titled Sukha-Dukha. The film marks the directorial debut of actress Nita Dhungana. Director Dhungana signed an official agreement with the cinematographers on Sunday, confirming their collaboration on the project. The film’s distribution rights have also been finalized. FD Company will handle distribution outside the Kathmandu Valley, while Rich Entertainment will manage distribution within the Valley. Director Dhungana has entrusted Chhabi Raj Ojha with distribution responsibilities outside the Valley and Karan Shrestha for distribution within the Valley.

Senior Lyricist Rajendra Rijal Honored with Chhinnalata Song Award: Senior lyricist Rajendra Rijal has been awarded this year’s Chhinnalata Song Award. The award ceremony, organized by Chhinnalata Guthi, was graced by Speaker Devraj Ghimire, who presented Rizal with a certificate of honor along with a cash prize of NPR 100,000. In the same event, the Chhinnalata Music Award of NPR 100,000 was jointly given to Abhas (Achyut Prasad Phuyal) for music composition, and the Chhinnalata Singing Award of NPR 100,000 was jointly awarded to singers Rambhakta Jojiju and Itu Jojiju. Additionally, the Chhinnalata Young Talent Award carrying a prize of NPR 50,000 was presented to singer S.D. Yogi.

Nepali Women’s Football Team Returns Home After AFC Qualifiers: The Nepali national women’s football team has returned home after competing in the AFC qualifiers. The team arrived in Kathmandu on Monday morning and was welcomed at Tribhuvan International Airport by All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) General Secretary Kiran Rai, spokesperson Suresh Shah, and other officials. Nepal lost to Uzbekistan in their final match of the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, ending their chances of qualifying for the tournament. After returning home, national team captain Sabitra Bhandari ‘Samba’ said that although Nepal failed to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup, the players gained valuable learning experiences.

President Paudel Lauds Rising Passion for Cricket and U-16 Team’s Victory: President Ramchandra Paudel has praised the growing craze for cricket among Nepalis and the recent successes achieved by Nepali players. Congratulating the Nepali team that won the ACC U-16 East Zone Cup at a special event held at Sheetal Niwas, the President stated that the team’s success in cricket is a result of the players’ dedication, passion, and hard work. He highlighted that by winning the title in the final match against Singapore, the Nepali U-16 team has enhanced the nation’s reputation and brought pride and prestige to Nepal and its people.

Nepal to Host Bangladesh for Two International Friendlies in September: Nepal will host Bangladesh in two international friendly matches on September 6 and 9 at Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu. Both matches are scheduled during the FIFA International Window. These friendlies are seen as vital preparation for Nepal ahead of their remaining fixtures in the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers. Nepal is placed in Group F alongside Malaysia, Laos, and Vietnam. The team has played two group-stage matches so far but remains without a point, having suffered defeats in both games. As part of the ongoing qualifiers, Nepal is set to face Vietnam in an away match on October 9.

At Least 81 Dead and Dozens Missing in Texas Floods as More Rain Looms: At least 81 people have been confirmed dead in central Texas and another 41 are missing following flash floods on Friday. Sixty-eight of the fatalities, including 28 children, were in Kerr County, where a riverside Christian girls’ camp was deluged. Ten girls and a counsellor from Camp Mystic are still missing. There are five confirmed casualties in Travis County, three in Burnet County, two in Williamson County, two in Kendall County and one in Tom Green County. Figures are changing quickly as rescuers continue to search for the missing, and officials say the death toll is certain to rise.

Methane Gas Kills 12 Turkish Soldiers in Iraq Operation: Twelve Turkish soldiers have died after being exposed to methane gas while searching a cave in Iraq, the Turkish Ministry of National Defence said. At least 19 personnel were exposed to the gas during the search and clear operation on Sunday, and immediately taken to hospital. By Monday 12 soldiers had died, the ministry said. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he received the news with “great sorrow” and extended his condolences to the soldiers’ families and to the Turkish Armed Forces. Methane gas is not directly toxic, but can be deadly as it can become suffocating, especially in tight, enclosed spaces.

Israel Strikes Houthi Targets at Yemen Ports, Power Plant: Israel has attacked Houthi targets in three Yemeni ports and a power plant, the Israeli military said early on Monday, marking the first Israeli attack on Yemen in almost a month. The strikes on Hodeidah, Ras Isa and Salif ports, and Ras Qantib power plant were due to repeated Houthi attacks on Israel, the military added. Since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023, the Iran-aligned Houthis have fired at Israel and at shipping in the Red Sea, disrupting global trade, in what it says are acts of solidarity with the Palestinians.

Trump Calls Musk’s New Political Party ‘Ridiculous’: US President Donald Trump has hit out at former close ally Elon Musk over the multi-billionaire’s plan to launch a new political party. “I think it’s ridiculous to start a third party,” said Trump, speaking to reporters on Sunday before boarding Air Force One. “It’s always been a two-party system and I think starting a third party just adds to the confusion.” After teasing the idea for weeks, Musk posted on X over the weekend that he had set up the America Party to challenge the Republican and Democratic “Uniparty”. Trump and Musk were formerly close allies, with the Tesla boss leading the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), which is tasked with helping to cut federal spending.